Michigan State Basketball: Gabe Brown deserves more playing time

Freshman forward Gabe Brown started the season as an end-of-the-bench guy, but Michigan State basketball could use more of him.

When the season began, no one knew what to expect from the freshman class. There were five guys with plenty of talent but who were all relatively raw — outside of Aaron Henry who was dubbed the most college-ready both physically and mentally.

That left a pint-sized point guard Foster Loyer, slender big man Marcus Bingham Jr., Thomas Kithier who sat out his entire high school senior year and skinny wing Gabe Brown.

The latter was considered an extremely raw wing, standing 6-foot-7 and weighing in at just 180 pounds. He had both guard skills and the ability to score around the rim and drive to the hoop, but he didn’t have the size to do that in the Big Ten.

Fast forward about two months and Michigan State has figured out the freshmen, ever so slightly.

Loyer is not Cassius Winston’s backup who is slowly working his way toward adequate playing time, but must work on his defense and strength. Bingham Jr. still has plenty of potential but needs to add some strength down low. Kithier can carve out a Matt Costello-like role a year or two from now, but he remains an 10-11 option. And then there’s Brown who has proven to be a lights-out shooter and a spark off the bench.

During the recent holiday break for the team where players went home and took time away from basketball, Brown was getting to work:

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While some believe his defense could still use some work and he needs to add a little weight, he’s been just what the doctor ordered off the bench as a No. 8 or No. 9 option. He is shooting an incredible 77 percent from the floor and 7-for-10 from behind the 3-point line. He’s averaging 3.4 points in 5.7 minutes per game.

Brown has earned more playing time because of his effectiveness and production in his limited action.

In fact, through the first six games, he had nine points and was 3-for-5 from the floor and in the last six games, he’s scored 22 points, making 6-of-7 shots and even posting a career-high 11 points in just six minutes against Green Bay.

Brown may not be the most physically-imposing player on the team, but he’s played well enough and has had that spark that guys like Kyle Ahrens, Henry and Xavier Tillman have all provided off the bench. Get this kid on the floor even more, coach.